Drawer unit for desks or tables



Aug. 12, S. HALL DRAWER UNIT'FOR DESKS 0R TABLES Filed NOV. 12. 1921 INVENTOR: jfingslej 5. Hall A TTORNE).

Patented Aug, 12, 1924,

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Application filedjNove'mbcr 12, 192 1.. Seria-INo. 514,550.

To. all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Krnesnnr Sdln-nn, a citizen of the United States, residing. at

Chicago, in the county of Cook and State or drawer for containing tabulation. sheets,-

maps, or the like, which may be placed on top of a table or desk for ready reference by simply drawing out the tray. A further object of the invention is to provide a transparent cover of glass or other material through which the contents of the drawer can be seen without withdrawing the tray, and at the same time to provide a suitable supporting means for thecover bothwhen the tray is withdrawnpartially or completely, and when it is in its ordinary closed position. Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates my invention as applied to a desk; and Fig. 2 is a sectional view.

It is common business practice at the present time to have graduated sheets or maps to indicate the progress of a business, location of a branch store, or the position of a salesman, for example, in order that the sales manager or other business executive may have constantly before himin a visible and variable form the various units of his or anization, or a variable tabulation showing results. The most convenient place for an aid of this kind is on top of a desk or table where it is at all times visible through a glass top or cover, and at all times accessible for variation by simply withdrawing the drawer. The drawer or tray of this invention is so shallow that it may be placed directly upon an existing table or desk without adding materially or objectionably to the height thereof, or the tray may be formed as an integral part of the desk or table to which it is attached constituting a new article of furniture.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a table or desk base 1 shown with an ordinary desk top 2 having sides 3 between the base and the top, or simply supported by the base, in the case of a table, is the shallow drawer or tray construction which comprises a pair of slde pieces 4 with an inwardly extending tongue 5,- a' pair of grooved tray sides 6 slidable upon the tongue 5, the side pieces 4 being commonly connected at the back but not at the front by means of a cross piece 7, and the tray sidesfi being connected at the front and rear by cross pieces 8 and 9.

The side pieces 4 and 6' are of relatively thin material so that they will make a sha llow drawer, and the tray sides may even be slightly thinner than the sides 4 so that there will be no danger of the tray binding at the top and bottom.

Projecting inwardly from each tray side 6 is an extension 10 which forms a support for a bottom 11 preferably consisting of press board or the like into which thumb tacks 12 may be inserted easily, or it may be of thin wood or any other suitable material. This backing or bottom 11 forms a support for a tabulation sheet or map 13 which may be attached or placed loosely therein, the bottom 11 preferably fitting loosely therein so that it and the sheet 13 may be bodily removed and replaced by others of the same size. Other advertising material, cards, or an index strip 14 or the like, may be secured. in the tray in a well known manner;

Supported by the fixed side pieces 4 is a cover 15 of glass or any other suitable material, preferably transparent, and in the case of a desk, this cover is fitted between sides; 3 but still resting upon the in.- ner edges of the supporting sides 4; In order to act as an additional support for the fixed side pieces 4 at the front thereof, and as: an additional support for the cover 15, a metal strip 16 is connected to the side pieces 4 which fits closely between the front piece 8 of the tray and the cover 15 when the tray is closed. This metal strip maybe continued entirely around the side and cross pieces 4 and 7 or it may be dispensed with entirely if a substantial cover 15, such as plate glass, or the like, is used. Knobs 17 or any other suitable underhand graspable means may be provided for withdrawing the tray from beneath its cover, and when the tray is returned the front piece 8 makes a neat, flush connection with the outer edge of the cover and the base. A plate glass top has suflicient weight and rigidity to hold it in place on the top of a table without any fastening means.

With this construction it is obvious that a tray unit of this kind may be placed on top of an ordinary table, between the top and base of a desk, or formed as an integral part of, furniture ofthis class. It is also apparent that instead of a single tray the space m'ay easily be divided up for two or more shallow top trays of this kind by prov V viding a partition with opposite tongues 5.

' top of the tray and-supported by the side pieces. 7 r

s 2. The f combination withda supporting desk or table base, of a shallow drawer unit for the-top thereof comprising a marginal support open on one side, a shallow tray l slidable in the ,open'side, and a transparent 'cover extending over. the tray and upheld by the marginal support.

3. The combination with a base, of ai shallow drawer unit comprising a marginal support for the top of the base, a tray slidable inthe marginal support a removable 7 bottom, for the-tray, and-a transparent cover fitting upon the marginal support onthree sides and engaging the upperedge' of the tray onits fourth side when the tray is closed." 7 1 i r r 4. The combination with a supporting base and a removable top, of a shallow tray unit adapted to be inserted removably between the top and base and the tray thereof slidable' outwardly therefrom without disturbing-the base and top.

5. The combination with a desk base and a-removable"top,'of a shallow drawer unit insertable removably between the base and top, and comprising a sliding tray, and a transparent cover seated within the top.

6. The combination with'a base and a retmovable top, of a shallow drawer unit insertablebetween the base and top, said eonstruction including marginal strips at the sides and back, a shallow tray slidable in r the side strips, and a transparent rover sup ported by the side strips but not by the tray so that it remains stationary when the tray is moved in and out.

7 supported by the side pieces, and means connecting the front ends of the side pieces and forming an additional support for the cover when the tray is withdrawn.

8. An article of manufacture: a shallow tray unit for desk tops, a pair of side pieces adapted to be fixedly supported a rectangular tray slidable thereon having sides with inward extensions, and a removable bottom supported by said extensions.

9. An article of manufacture: a shallow drawer unit for desk tops, a pair of ridged side pieces, a tray with grooved side pieces slidable upon the ridges, a removable bottom for the tray, and a cover supported by the ridged side pieces and by the front of the tray when it is closed.

10. A shallow drawer desk unit comprising a pair of inwardly ridged side pieces and a connecting back piece, a metal strip connecting the tops of the front ends of the side pieces, a cover supported by the said pieces andthe metal strip, a shallow tray having, grooved sides slidable in the side pieces, and a front piece which engages the underside of the metal strip when the tray is closed, and aremovable bottom constructed of soft material into which thumb tacks and the like'ean be easily inserted.

V 11. A shallow drawer desk unit comprising a slidable tray, a fixed transparent cover, a'removable bottom for the tray, an indicator sheet supported by the bottom, and a plurality of indicating means applicable to the sheet and extending not above the top of the tray.

KINGSLEY S. HALL. 

